Packing machine having prepared film connecting function

ABSTRACT

A packing machine includes a frame, a first conveying belt mounted on a first end of the frame, a second conveying belt mounted on a second end of the frame, an intermediate conveying belt mounted on a mediate portion of the frame and located between the first conveying belt and the second conveying belt, two storage racks each mounted in and located at the second end of the frame, and a sealing cutter mounted on the frame and located beside one of the two storage racks. Thus, two film rolls are connected easily and rapidly by provision of the sealing cutter, thereby facilitating the user replacing the film rolls without affecting the packaging work.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a packing machine, and more particularly to a packing machine having a prepared film connecting function.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional packing machine 1 in accordance with the prior art shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 comprises a frame 8, two rollers 2 mounted on the frame 8 for tensioning a film 6, a conveying system 4A mounted on the frame 8 for conveying an article 3 to be packaged, and a pneumatic cylinder 5 mounted on the frame 8 and having a piston rod 50 for pushing the article 3 toward the film 6. Thus, the pneumatic cylinder 5 pushes the article 3 toward the film 6 to move the article 3 from the position as shown in FIG. 15 to the position as shown in FIG. 16, so that the article 3 is wrapped by the film 6. Then, the film 6 is cut by a cutter (not shown) and is processed by a heat press (not shown), thereby packaging the article 3 in the film 6.

However, the article 3 is hit by the piston rod of the pneumatic cylinder 5, so that the article 3 is easily vibrated, thereby affecting package of the article 3. In addition, the conveying system 4A has to stop moving when the piston rod of the pneumatic cylinder 5 is moved forward to push the article 3 and start moving after the piston rod of the pneumatic cylinder 5 is retracted backward, so that the packaging work is performed intermittently, thereby decreasing the working efficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a packing machine having a prepared film connecting function.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a packing machine comprising two film rolls which are connected easily and rapidly by provision of the sealing cutter, thereby facilitating the user replacing the film rolls without affecting the packaging work.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a packing machine, comprising:

-   -   a frame;     -   a first conveying belt mounted on a first end of the frame;     -   a second conveying belt mounted on a second end of the frame;     -   an intermediate conveying belt mounted on a mediate portion of         the frame and located between the first conveying belt and the         second conveying belt;     -   two storage racks each mounted in and located at the second end         of the frame; and     -   a sealing cutter mounted on the frame and located beside one of         the two storage racks.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a packing machine in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic operational view of the packing machine as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic operational view of the packing machine as shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic operational view of the packing machine as shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic operational view of the packing machine as shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a schematic operational view of the packing machine as shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a partially packed article in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a wholly packed article in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a partially perspective view of the packing machine in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the first film is used up;

FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the first film and the second film are connected;

FIG. 12 is a plan view showing the second film is in use;

FIG. 13 is a plan view showing the first film is prepared when the second film is in use;

FIG. 14 is a plan view of a conventional packing machine in accordance with the prior art; and

FIG. 15 is a schematic operational view of the conventional packing machine as shown in FIG. 14.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIG. 1, a packing machine in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a rectangular frame 10, a first conveying belt 11 mounted on a first end of the frame 10, a sensing device 102 mounted on the first conveying belt 11, a second conveying belt 13 mounted on a second end of the frame 10, an intermediate conveying belt 12 mounted on a mediate portion of the frame 10 and located between the first conveying belt 11 and the second conveying belt 13, an endless driving device 4 mounted on the mediate portion of the frame 10 and enclosed around a periphery of the intermediate conveying belt 12, two storage racks 14 each mounted in and located at the second end of the frame 10, a first film roll 15 and a second film roll 152 mounted on the storage racks 14 respectively, a delivery device 16 mounted in and located at the mediate portion of the frame 10, a plurality of tension rods 17 mounted in and located at the mediate portion of the frame 10, a plurality of delivery rollers 18 mounted in and located at the first end of the frame 10, a film cutting device 20 mounted in and located at the first end of the frame 10, and an inclined arranged film conveying device 30 mounted in and located at the first end of the frame 10.

The endless driving device 4 includes two symmetric loop-shaped chain units 40 movably mounted on the frame 10 and located at two opposite sides of the intermediate conveying belt 12 to move around the periphery of the intermediate conveying belt 12, a drive bar 41 mounted between the two chain units 40 to move therewith, two transverse rods 43 mounted on the frame 10 and located above the two chain units 40, and two flexible belts 42 each mounted between the two transverse rods 43 and each located above the two chain units 40. The endless driving device 4 further includes a plurality of co-operating sprockets 44 mounted on the frame 10 and located at the two opposite sides of the intermediate conveying belt 12 to mesh with the two chain units 40 for moving the two chain units 40.

In operation, referring to FIGS. 1-8, a film 100 extended from the first film roll 15 mounted on the storage rack 14 passes through the delivery device 16, the tension rods 17 and the delivery rollers 18 and reaches the film cutting device 20 as shown in FIG. 1.

When an article 101 to be packed is placed on the first conveying belt 11 and is moved toward the intermediate conveying belt 12, the sensing device 102 detects movement of the article 101, so that the film 100 is delivered by the film conveying device 30 to move toward the intermediate conveying belt 12 until a first end of the film 100 is inserted into a gap between the first conveying belt 11 and the intermediate conveying belt 12 as shown in FIG. 2. At this time, the film conveying device 30 produces a vacuum suction by operation of a vacuum pump 31 mounted in the frame 10 to attract the film 100 on the film conveying device 30, so that the film 100 is delivered by the film conveying device 30 smoothly.

When the article 101 reaches the position as shown in FIG. 2, the bottom of the front end of the article 101 presses the first end of the film 100, so that the article 101 and the film 100 are moved forward synchronously as shown in FIG. 3. At the same time, the film cutting device 20 is operated to cut the film 100 as shown in FIG. 3, so that the film 100 having a determined length is moved forward with the article 101.

After the rear end of the article 101 passes through the gap between the first conveying belt 11 and the intermediate conveying belt 12, the chain units 40 of the endless driving device 4 are driven by rotation of the sprockets 44 to move around the periphery of the intermediate conveying belt 12, so that the drive bar 41 is moved by the chain units 40 to drive a second end of the film 100 to move upward as shown in FIG. 4. In such a manner, the film 100 is driven by the drive bar 41 to encompass the article 101, thereby packaging the article 101 in a winding manner.

When the drive bar 41 is moved to reach the flexible belts 42, the drive bar 41 is pressed by the flexible belts 42 to apply a tension on the film 100, so that the film 100 is stretched to wrap the surface of the article 101 closely and smoothly as shown in FIG. 4. In addition, the second end of the film 100 will not detach from the drive bar 41 by pressing of the flexible belts 42.

At this time, before the front end of the article 101 passes through the gap between the intermediate conveying belt 12 and the second conveying belt 13, the second end of the film 100 is driven by the drive bar 41 into the gap between the intermediate conveying belt 12 and the second conveying belt 13 as shown in FIG. 5, so that when the front end of the article 101 passes through the gap between the intermediate conveying belt 12 and the second conveying belt 13, the second end of the film 100 is bent and is rested on the bottom of the front end of the article 101 as shown in FIG. 6. Thus, the first and second ends of the film 100 overlap each other at the bottom of the front end of the article 101 as shown in FIG. 7, so that the article 101 is closely enclosed by the film 100. Finally, the article 101 is delivered by the second conveying belt 13 to perform a contraction package process, thereby wholly wrapping and packing the article 101 in the film 100 as shown in FIG. 8.

Referring to FIG. 9 with reference to FIG. 1, each of the two storage racks 14 is located under the second conveying belt 13 and is slidably mounted on the frame 10 for supporting the first film roll 15 and the second film roll 152. The packing machine further comprises a sealing cutter 150 mounted on the frame 10 and located beside one of the two storage racks 14, a cutter seat 154 pivotally mounted on the frame 10, and a pneumatic cylinder 151 mounted on the frame 10 and pivotally connected to the cutter seat 154 for moving the cutter seat 154 relative to the sealing cutter 150. Preferably, the sealing cutter 150 is located between one of the two storage racks 14 and the delivery device 16.

As shown in FIG. 10, when a detector (not shown) detects that the first film roll 15 is used up, the packaging action is stopped. Then, the tail end of the film 100 of the first film roll 15 and the front end of the film 100 of the second film roll 152 are juxtaposed to each other and are moved to the sealing cutter 150 as shown in FIG. 11 to perform a seal cutting action, so that the tail end of the film 100 of the first film roll 15 and the front end of the film 100 of the second film roll 152 are connected with each other as shown in FIG. 12 to proceed the following packaging action by the film 100 of the second film roll 152. Then, a new first film roll 15 is placed onto the respective storage rack 14 as shown in FIG. 13 for future use.

Accordingly, the packing machine comprises two film rolls which are connected easily and rapidly by provision of the sealing cutter, thereby facilitating the user replacing the film rolls without affecting the packaging work.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention. 

1. A packing machine, comprising: a frame; a first conveying belt mounted on a first end of the frame; a second conveying belt mounted on a second end of the frame; an intermediate conveying belt mounted on a mediate portion of the frame and located between the first conveying belt and the second conveying belt; two storage racks each mounted in and located at the second end of the frame; and a sealing cutter mounted on the frame and located beside one of the two storage racks.
 2. The packing machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the two storage racks is located under the second conveying belt.
 3. The packing machine in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a delivery device mounted in and located at the mediate portion of the frame, wherein the sealing cutter is located between one of the two storage racks and the delivery device.
 4. The packing machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the two storage racks is slidably mounted on the frame for supporting two film rolls.
 5. The packing machine in accordance with claim 4, wherein the two film rolls are connected by the sealing cutter.
 6. The packing machine in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a cutter seat pivotally mounted on the frame, and a pneumatic cylinder mounted on the frame and pivotally connected to the cutter seat for moving the cutter seat relative to the sealing cutter.
 7. The packing machine in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a plurality of tension rods mounted in and located at the mediate portion of the frame, and a plurality of delivery rollers mounted in and located at the first end of the frame.
 8. The packing machine in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a sensing device mounted on the first conveying belt. 